Illus: It is easy for me to understand why some of the old soldiers who faced death itself, some even lost legs, eyes, arms, etc., become angry when they see people who have done nothing to win, or keep, their freedom, wanting to burn the symbol of that freedom, the flag.
Well, that is not the only way people show their ingratitude.
So many times, we enjoy our air-conditioned churches, feeling respectable and dignified, not thinking of the great price many saints of God have paid for us to have this blessing.
This chapter gives us just a little insight of the high price saints have paid through the years, so that we might have the message of salvation today.
Let’s look at-
I. THE PERSEVERANCE
Look at verse 1, "And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed."
Barnabas' and Paul's forced departure from Antioch in Pisidia was still fresh in their minds.
If you remember, they had gone to the synagogue and had been invited to preach. They had preached, and the people were so pleased that they invited them to come back to speak to them again on the next Sabbath. During that week, all who had heard them were telling their friends and neighbors what they had heard. The Bible tells us that that next Sabbath the almost the whole population of the town went to hear them.
The Jews became jealous when they saw such a multitude flock out to hear these men tell more about Jesus Christ being their "living" Savior, and they arranged to have Paul and Barnabas run out of town.
There are two kinds of jealousy, a good kind and a bad kind. The wrong kind of jealousy is a terrible thing.
Illus: Someone said, "One blessing in being poor, honest, and hard working is that nobody envies you."
Someone else said, "When you feel yourself turning green with envy, you're ripe for trouble," and we might add, "and so is someone else."
They were opposed by evil men who were jealous of them, but it did not stop them.
Notice the determination of Paul and Barnabas. Even though they had gotten in trouble for preaching Jesus in the temple at Antioch, the Bible tells us that when they reached Iconium, "...they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews..."
That is, when they reached Iconium, they continued to do the things that got them in trouble before.
Christians need that kind of determination today!
So many times a person will begin working for the Lord in some ministry in a church, but run into some opposition and quit, sometimes only a few weeks after they began.
Paul and Barnabas were not that way. They were rejected, forced out of one town, but when they arrived at the next town they were even more determined to preach this same gospel.
Notice the report of what happened: "...and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed."
Notice especially the words, "...AND SO SPAKE..." All who heard them speak were convinced that they knew what they were talking about.
But there is always opposition around.
Look at verses 2-6, "But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part witht he apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about."
Paul and Barnabas were so used of God in that they "so spake", that the unbelieving Jews had a hard time turning the people against them.
Verse 3 begins, "Long time therefore..." This lets us know the period of time they were able to preach God's Word, before the unbelieving Jews could muster enough resistance to make them flee. Paul and Barnabas were determined to preach the gospel.
The devil was mad. He made his crowd just as determined to stop Paul and Barnabas from preaching Jesus. But Paul and Barnabas kept right on obeying God.
We need to pray that God will give us the same determination that Paul and Barnabas had, and that we then will carry out His will in spreading the message.
Illus: This reminds me of the story of the snail that was climbing an apple tree inch by inch. When he was about one-third of the way up he met a worm coming down. That worm said to him, you are wasting your time, there is not one single apple in this tree. The snail just kept on his slow ascent as he was heard to say, "There will be by the time I get there."
Paul and Barnabas' persecutors were so angry, they were at the point of planning to stone them, so Paul and Barnabas felt this would be a great time to leave.
Look at verse 6 says, "They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the the region that lieth round about."
THEY PERSEVERED until their lives were threatened, and God gave them the good common sense to move on.
They fled to other cities, such as Lystra, Derbe and other places.
When they arrived, look at-
II. THEIR PREACHING
Verses 7-11a, "And there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw..."
When they arrived at these places they preached the gospel.
While they were there, they came into contact with a man who had been a cripple since birth.
The crippled man had three things happen to him that make him a perfect picture of a man, born in sin.
A. WHAT HE HEARD
Verse 9a, "The same heard Paul speak..."
We do not have to wonder about what he heard, because verse 7 says, "And there they preached the gospel."
Paul did not have one gospel for one town and another for another town, the way some would have you think we can do today.
More than ever before, we are hearing that we have to deal with people today differently than we did years ago.
Some would have you believe that culture should determine our theology, more so than the Word of God should.
The church is being pressured by the homosexuals, abortionists, and other liberal movements.
You can quote scripture to that crowd all day long that would tell them they are not obeying God, but they would be quick to tell you that this is a NEW AGE, and the Bible is no longer the only standard for them as they develop their theology.
May God help us to be like Paul and Barnabas. They did not preach a different gospel to different people. They preached the same old gospel everywhere they went.
Illus: We used to sing, "Give me that old time religion," and we would say who it was good for. We would sing it was good for Paul and Silas, it was good for grandpa and grandma, it was good for mom and dad, etc.
This is what Paul and Barnabas felt also. Regardless of what town they came to, the Bible says repeatedly, "...and there they preached the Word."
This man who had been crippled from birth, heard the gospel, and Paul could tell he was like a sponge, soaking it in.
Did you know that a lost person cannot be saved, until he is willing to allow God's Word to take root in his life?
This man, who had been born in sin, was willing. The Bible says, "The same heard Paul speak..."
But notice something else about him, we know WHAT HE HEARD, but look-
B. WHAT HE FELT
Look at verse 10, "Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked."
I am sure there was a lot that he did not understand about theology. Paul had preached the simple gospel.
Some folks have the mistaken idea that a person cannot be saved until he knows all about the doctrines of the Bible. This is not true.
I know people who have been saved for years, who are still ignorant about many of the things of God.
The message Paul preached, showed him he was a sinner and that Christ was the Savior.
Paul saw such faith in him, that he told him with a loud voice, "Stand upright on thy feet, and he leaped and walked." Can you imagine how he must have felt?
He had been born crippled. He had been in this deplorable condition all his life. Now, for the first time ever, he had feeling and strength in his legs -- "...and he leaped and walked."
But notice something else-
C. WHAT OTHERS SAW
Look at verse 11a, "And when the people saw what Paul had done..."
Sometimes we run across people who say they are saved, but they say they do not "flaunt" their profession in other people's faces. It could be that the reason they do not "flaunt" it, is because they do not have anything to "flaunt."
Illus: We all have been intrigued with secret service agents. When a person is a secret agent, it is very important that no one know what he is. That is, a secret agent might live beside someone all their life, and that person never know they are a secret agent.
Some people think this is the way it is when one is a Christian, but not so. When God delivers one from sin, everyone should be able to see a change in that life.
Notice these words, "And when the people saw..." They saw that man, who had been crippled from birth, now leaping and walking.
III. THE PUBLICITY
Paul and Barnabas were so used of God, that people got the wrong opinion of them.
Look at verses 11b-13. "...they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurious, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people."
We cannot help but cringe when we think, that if Paul and Barnabas had not been the men of God they were, they could have taken advantage of those poor, ignorant people.
We see some, who claim the name of Christ today, doing just that. They know exactly who to appeal to. The ignorant, lonely people feel no one cares for them, and they are prime targets for television and local hucksters, in sheep's clothing.
Illus: A mailman told one pastor several years ago, "Preacher, you would be surprised how many of the widows in this neighborhood are sending checks to television evangelists who flood the mails with junk mail begging for more and more money from them when they are not even able to afford to run their fans in the hot summer.”
If Paul and Barnabas had not been the men of God they were, they could have struck it rich -- let me point out, here were two men who loved the Lord!
DEITY ATTRIBUTED TO PAUL AND BARNABAS
Verses 14-18, "Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them."
Paul and Barnabas recognized that God alone, was worthy of praise and worship.
Not everyone is smart enough to recognize that.
Illus: Today, for instance, actors, actresses, and athletes are literally worshipped by many people. The American people lavish these "gods" with money, time, and fame. Some would stay up all night in the cold rain, to catch a glimpse of one of these "gods" they serve, but would not walk across the street on a sunny day, to sit in a padded pew in an air-conditioned building, to worship the living God Who created them!
We constantly read about horrible things happening to the self-proclaimed gods.
Why? A man (or woman) is in big trouble when he robs God of the glory, praise, and honor that belongs to Him alone.
Look at Romans 1:21-23, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."
Paul and Barnabas wasted no time letting those people know that it was not them, but the God they were preaching about, that they should worship.
IV. THE PERSECUTION
Verse 19, "And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead."
Notice, these men traveled about 85 to 90 miles, to make it hard on Paul and Barnabas.
Wouldn't it be marvelous, if people would travel that far to help a man of God spread the gospel! Again, they had to flee for their lives.
V. THE PLAN
God caused those evil men to think Paul was dead, but he wasn't. The believers gathered around him, and he was able to walk back to town and rejoin Barnabas.
Look at verses 20-22, "Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
The next day they traveled to Derbe, and, "...preached the gospel to that city..."
They made the rounds to re-establish what they had started, and to tell the young believers in the Lord what to expect.
You need to be leery of anyone who would tell you, "If you will accept the Lord, you will live a healthy, happy, rich life with no problems.."
Paul told them the truth. Those who have been saved, "...must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
VI. THE PROVISION
Verse 23, "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed."
VII. THE PRAISE
Verses 24-28, "And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia: And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode long time with the disciples."
Conclusion:
I. THE PERSEVERANCE
II. THE POWER
III. THE PUBLICITY
IV. THE PERSECUTION
V. THE PLAN
VI. THE PROVISION
VII. THE PRAISE
